The Big Bang Theory has ended, for better or worse. Some fans are sad to say goodbye to their favorite gang of geeks, while others are happy to bid farewell to a sitcom that seemed to have been running out of fuel for the past couple of seasons. Regardless of your personal feelings towards TBBT, the show was undeniably a pop culture juggernaut, becoming a part of the zeitgeist in a way that few shows can claim to have done.
One of the most popular main characters from the show, Amy Farrah Fowler was introduced much later than the others and, consequently, had less time to establish a backstory. Here are the answers to 10 questions that non-die hard fans often have about Amy.
10 How Did Sheldon Meet Amy?
The two only met because Howard and Raj put Sheldon's information up on a dating site, which Amy also happened to be using since she had promised her mother she would go on at least one date per year. From there, sparks flew, in a way that could only happen between people like Amy and Sheldon.
The two built their relationship on principles of cold logic and mutual convenience. It was only after Amy became a bigger part of Sheldon's group that she shed her earlier, emotionless persona and became a much more warm and demonstrative person who wanted to enter into a full, romantic relationship with Sheldon. Needless to say, Sheldon put up quite a fight but eventually realized that he also loved Amy and wanted to spend his whole life with her.
9 What Was Her Childhood Like?
Not good. We often hear Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, and Howard complain about being bullied during childhood. But it is only with Amy that we get to hear about the female version of such a childhood. Amy often tells stories about being ignored by her classmates, bullied by her peers and her own family, and being made to feel like an outsider at an early age.
It was these early experiences that caused Amy to retreat into academia at the expense of socializing, which was why she was almost as socially awkward as Sheldon. We also catch a glimpse of little Amy Fowler in the season finale of Young Sheldon, among younger versions of the other cast members.
8 Who Is She Attracted To?
Sheldon, naturally. But surprisingly, also Penny. Amy has never shown any interest in a man who is not Sheldon (not counting the time she got the hots for Penny's ex-flame Zach), but she has always strongly hinted that she would very much like to be more than just besties with Penny.
This might not just be a simple case of attraction, however. Penny is the stereotypical, popular blonde who used to ostracise Amy in her youth. It has often been implied that becoming best friends with Penny is a way for Amy to boost her self-esteem by finally being friends with the queen bee.
7 Are There Two Amys In The Show?
Things are about to get a little metaphysical. Before we meet Amy, Raj mentions in one of the episodes that the girl from the hit show Blossom has a Ph.D. in neuroscience. This person happens to be none other than actress Mayim Bialik, who plays the role of Amy on the show.
Is there also a Mayim Bialik in The Big Bang Theory universe who happens to look exactly like Amy? Or, did the show creators simply toss out a reference to Bialik early on because they did not know she was going to become a cast member someday? Probably the latter.
6 How Smart Is Amy?
Very Smart. In fact, aside from Sheldon himself, she's probably the smartest character on the show. She shares her boyfriend's love of learning obscure trivia about the world. She has also frequently caught Sheldon stating an incorrect fact, something even Leonard seldom gets to experience.
She has shown to have more than a passing knowledge about all the other character's fields of study and has proven to be more knowledgeable than Sheldon about biology and the human brain. Not to mention sharing a Nobel prize win along with Sheldon.
5 What Are Her Insecurities?
So, so many of them. Because of her troubled childhood and insecurities, Amy has difficulty making friends and holding onto the ones she does manage to make. She gets jealous and possessive of Penny whenever another female friend enters the scene, and nurses many fears in earlier seasons that Sheldon would be lured away from her by a hot science coed.
Amy eventually manages to lay most of her insecurities to rest, even though they do still occasionally rise up in group settings when someone tries to take her place in the spotlight ("Today is not about you! Today is about Howard and Bernadette and me!").
4 Does Amy Have Mad Skills?
Several of them. Aside from being one of the foremost neurobiologists of her age, Amy plays the harp and once wrote a pretty engaging fanfiction novel. She has a knowledge of world trivia that rivals Sheldon. In one episode, Amy has also shown to have another rather improbable skill: She's really good at flipping coins into glasses.
Over time, Amy has also developed a fondness for the geekier aspects of pop culture thanks to her close association with Sheldon and his friends. She now has more than a passing knowledge of comic books, science fiction, video games, and all the other nerd paraphernalia the show originally focused on.
3 Who Is Amy's Most Unexpected Friend?
Howard and Amy have turned out to be an unlikely pair of buds. Initially, the two rarely interacted, only meeting each other as part of the larger group. It was only due to a team up during a scavenger hunt designed by Raj that led to the two discovering they had more in common than they previously imagined.
The two bonded over their shared love for Neil Diamond. In fact, they were so thrilled to discover this mutual interest, they decided to blow off the scavenger hunt to attend a Neil Diamond karaoke instead!
2 Who Are Amy's Admirers?
Considering that Amy is consistently portrayed as the least attractive member of the girl trio on the show, she's actually managed to do quite well for herself in the romance department. She managed to make Sheldon Cooper fall in love with her, a feat that seemed hardly possible in earlier seasons.
Additionally, Amy has also found admirers in the shape of Stuart the comic store owner, Bert the geologist, and a tinder date where the guy turned out to be a big fan of Sheldon's. The date unraveled pretty quickly after that, especially with Sheldon showing up at the end to win Amy back.
1 How Did She Affect The Show's Dynamic?
Amy had possibly the biggest impact on the show's central dynamic. Before Amy, Penny and Bernadette had a separate friendship that was rarely explored in the actual episodes, while the guys with their nerdy pursuits were the main attraction of the show.
With the arrival of Amy, Penny's Posse was truly formed. With her eagerness to be a part of a large social group, Amy frequently became the reason for the show's increased focus on the female leads. Amy was also responsible for bringing Sheldon out of his shell and convincing him to try new activities outside of his comfort zone.